Law & Magic: Ministry of Magic Special Case Files
by TheJadeArcAngel
Summary: Harry and Ron are now agents for the Ministry of magic, doing temp work in New York City: Hermione has grown up to become a muggle District Attorney The world of crime and magic collide in this Law & Order Harry Potter cross over AU


Law & Magic - The Ministry of Magic Special Case Files

Case 0001 - Crash Course

It was raining when Sirius and Lupin arrived on the scene and already they could both tell it wasn't exactly a pretty picture: for starters, when a man obviously had been thrown almost seventy five feet away from the originating scene of an accident, you knew it was a Monday, and a particularly 'sucky' one at that, in muggle speak anyway. Sirius however, had a few other choice words for the scene, all of which Lupin ignored as he approached the Ministry officials who had surrounded the scene of the accident like imps on a sugar spill. One of these officials, a man Lupin knew only as Benedict Racer, approached the two detectives with the look of a man who'd found out on a Thursday his wife had died Wednesday

"Welcome gents'" he stated politely as one could when you were wet and cold. He obviously had come down with something.

"What do we have here 'exactly'" stated Sirius, trying to look over the crowd of people that had amassed while a officer of the ministry was drawing a line from the accident scene to where the poor chumps body had been found, looking something like a magical accident had caused his insides to become his outsides.

"If you found the idea of a Nimbus 2000 crashing into a muggle car at top speed funny then this would certainly be your night" he said. "We know it impacted the car with enough force to send the body flying the way over there' he said, illustrating by a wave of his hand the imaginary body sailing through the air, ' and then, BAM, 'ey' crashed with such a blow he...we'll, he's jelly now sirs."

Lupin approached the scene where the body was being photographed and outlined, well...as best one COULD, his keen nose suspecting something odd.

"Sirius, come here would you?' he asked. Sirius and Benedict approached and looked over the scene with Lupin as he pointed to a strange clustering of cloth-like material. "That color pattern, where is it from?" he asked.

"I'd say thats a Gryffindor color-scheme all-right." Sirius exclaimed. "Looks like our victim was a student."

Suddenly another Ministry officer approached the three men, a scroll in his hand.

"Sirs, I am afraid it's more than that. Our victim is Oliver Wood, a star Quiddich player. He was reported leaving the scene of a after-game party drunken and inebriated almost thirty minutes ago."

The quiet that fell on the men was unsettling

"My kid loves Wood' Lupin stated. "he has his pictures on his wall and everything."

"Well, I don't see why' Sirius snarled. "Obviously this is one goal the kid missed by a long shot...and I don't see him coming off the bench from this. Pssh, what a way to loose your Wood"

The Ministry officials then began to cover the body of Oliver Wood, one of the best Quiddich stars in the world, with a white sheet while the rain continued to pour.

- - - - - -

t was about seven in the AM when Harry received a Howler through his loft window: he hated those things, but as he sheepishly pulled himself out of bed to pick up the black and green envelope, he realized he despised the sender SO much more:

Salazar Incorporated, one of the biggest creators of magical items, books, wands and, also, the biggest dealer in illegal black magic's that unfortunately was never linked to any smoking guns thanks to Malfo-LeStrange-Durnham, a law-firm made up of the most corrupt and foul human beings to have ever cheated their way through law school.

Harry pulled his long hair out of his eyes and set it behind his ears as he reached for his reading glasses, a 'subtle' reminder that magic couldn't fix everything that was wrong with people: as he scanned the parcel it was sent from 1019 Adder Drive, Draco Malfoy's residence in New York. Whatever he was sending, Harry was reluctant to hear

"I heard an owl at the window' a soft voice shouted from the bathroom of the Potter residence as Harry threw on a robe and placed the package on his night-stand.

"Just work Cho' he shouted back. "Brace yourself however, it's a Howler"

"Malfoy get his robe in a bunch at the Ministry again?" Cho Chang's voice echoed amid the sound of a running shower

"I bet he's just angry that his case got thrown out since the Ministry accepted the testimony of some muggles and, well, you know the Malfoy's 'official' stance of muggle testimony Ministry affairs."

"They had their memories modified in exchange for a...flying car as I recall?"

Harry smiled a little, knowing Cho kept track of all his cases even if she did get a little mixed up on some of the details. Indeed, a year before, a muggle testified to a dragon smuggling operation but only under the conditions that he remember certain things e had seen and his car be modified to fly. The only reason the Ministry agreed was because the man lived virtually in the middle of nowhere in Arizona; the only reason he had seen the smugglers was because he was visiting family in Manchester for a funeral.

"Close enough" he said. As he started to get dressed however the phone rang and he was slow to pick it up but knew if he didn't Cho would shout his head off. "Potter residence' he said. It was Ron, his partner, and he sounded like he'd just been given the wedgie of a lifetime. "Slow down Ron' he said. "Just explain to me...I...oh...I see. Okay, I'll be there in a while" he replied as he hung up the phone, making a point to hurry up and get dressed quicker.

"CHO' Harry shouted. "I'll be late tonight, okay That was Ron, he says Snape and Hagrid have some news of that case with the bad batch of Polyjuice Potions that were being sold by Slazar Inc. We might have a way to bring them in for some legitimate charges!"

Cho didn't hear him; the shower was on full force. Perhaps, on some level, Harry was glad she hadnt heard him. Ever since his last case where he and Ron took on Salazar, things between them had become...shakey. It was also where he acquired his now infamous scar on his forehead, a 'present' from a curse thrown at him by one of the Death Eater Society's agents, sent by Thomas Riddle, head of Salazar Incorporated and chief financier of Malfoy-LeStrange-Durnham: he was possibly the most corrupt wizard in the Ministry of Magic, as well as man who fronted in the muggle world as a businessman of no small stature - A year ago Harry and Ron found Salazar Inc was shipping out counterfeit spell books and wands that carried a powerfully 'addictive' curse. After about seventeen spells, the user of the wand started to need to use magic more and more, like an addict. Soon they became so hooked on magic they needed more and more powerful spells that only Dark magic could curb - then, killings started. Harry and Ron had solid evidence, a good judge on the Ministry hearing bench, and even a set of credible eye-witnesses. Still, Riddle and Lucius Malfoy had managed to get the judge thrown out of the ministry for 'questionable practices" and soon, ironically, the evidence was negated on a technicality. After those blows, the eyewitnesses were viewed as being forced. The case, and the whole matter, was tossed out but not before a foiled assassination attempt of Harry's life by a hired dark wizard. Cho-Chang had leapt in the way and she...she hadnt been the same since, but the spell's effect still went through her and hit Harry. Because of Cho, he hadnt died...

But there were times, many, he wished he had...

- - - -

"For the last time, Hagrid, put that godawful thing in the bloody trash before I put you out with it!" Snape sneered from his desk as the thick cloud of smoke eminateing from around the half-giant next to him grew thicker with every breath and puff from the massive cigar between his lips.

"HAHAH!' Hagrid laughed, his voice shakeing Snape's temper. "I'd like to see you try twiggy!"

"And I'd like to remind you with a wave of my wand I can transmute you into a little white rabbit, you know, the kind used in muggle magic tricks? I'll guaratnee you'll be in the best vegas act seventeen quid can buy!"

Hagrid smiled, leaning closer to Snape's sweaty and greasy face that was worn from haveing stayed up all night cross reffrenceing the Oliver Wood case that had been litterally THROWN ontp his desk a few hours earlier.

"There aint no little top hat that can hold a bunny as big as what I'll be when your little spell is done' he chuckled. "And even a wee rabbit can still bite so, I'd keep your neck coverd the moment you wave that little STICK of yours."

"Fair enough, just put out that ghastly thing!" Snape scowled as Ron Weasily enterd the office, his profile looking worse than Snape: matted hair, bags under his eyes, and a scent that could wake the dead!

"WEASILY, my GOD' Snape snapped, flapping his robes to get rid of the smoke and now the scent of this busy and shaken looking Ministry Offical. "First your SMOKE' he said looking at Hagrid, " and now your ruddy aroma! Hadnt your father ever taught you how to bathe ebfore he himself required sounge baths!"

Ron sat at his desk across the room, a few seats away from Snape and the empty desk where, normally, Harry sat.

"If you're had my morning, you'd smell pretty bad yourself" Ron said as he waved his wand, calling over a cup of Maggies Moon-Beam Drink, a popular over-magically empowerd energy drink.

"Funny thing, some of us dont HAVE mornings Weasily' Snape said. "We live one long meandering existences in the present!" he said drolly while hagrid merely laughed

"Altough I think Snake'

"S-N-A-P-E' Snape hissed through clenched teeth

"Like I said, Snakey here' Hagrid smiled, "..needs to remember some people have thinsg called LIVES. How is Ginny and your Dad?

"Dad's condition...it's...well, he's at least stable and Ginny, as always, is avoiding home like the pluage but at least now when she's home shes not bringing home any more weird boys."

There was a pause between conversation when Harry enterd the room, his package from Draco in his hand.

"Malfoy sending you love letters again Harry?" Asked Hagrid as he too went to fetch a cup of Moon Drink.

"With all the scatheing hatred and kisses as always' Harry nodded, smileing a little to the half-giant aand then throwing a wave to Snape who simply made a gutteral noise as he went back to looking through his paper-work

Harry threw the parcil onto his desk while he went to go tand next to Ron's desk, covering his nose a little and grinning widely since he hadnt the heart to make a coughing noise or 'SAY' anything openly

"I know, I know!' said Ron, a little in a pout, as he went to opening his files and starting on his daily routine.

"You gave me a bit of a start this morning man' Harry said. "Now what is so urgent your coming into the Ministry office smelling like week old rotten House Elf and looking like you crawled from a sewer?"

Harry and Ron had always worked well, ever since they had graduated their schhol of Magical Law and even earlier since their school days in Hoggwarts. Still, Harry and Ron werent completely the best team; Harry had, after growing up, become something of a neat freak while Ron slipped into traditional Weasily habbits of wearing what was close at hand, dressing haphazardly, and smelling a little of strange materials from the burrow his mother collected.

"I got an owl this morning saying Oliver Wood died this morning' Ron said, a little shaken, and he was apparently drunk as a skunk!

"Speaking of skunks' Snape inerjected as he threw a bar of soap at Ron's head.

"Soap! Why in the world do you have soap in your desk?' Ron stammerd aloud

"Because I have to live in this horrid Ministry office most of the time and the showers and sleeping rooms arent always fully stocked with adequite cleaning supplies, so, I bring my own." Snape smiled, sarcastically

"Thats, eh, hahah, thats cute Snake' Hagrid said, pokeing Snape's shoulder with a more than playful amount of force. "You got yoruself a private little loo built into yer' chair there?"

"Um...anyway' Harry interupted, "Oliver is dead!' Harry said, a little conffused abd shocked; everybody had known Oliver from school, he had gone on to become a world famous Quiddich player who sometimes came back to Hoggwarts to speak to the new students.

"It seems, while terribly inebriated, he and a numbus 2000 crashed head on into a muggle station wagon. The Ministry fo Magic was all over the scene, no muggles hurt or aware of what happened, but the funny thing is, Oliver was decked out in a Gryffindor outfit. He was last seen at a party with soem of his friends, a themed party of sorts, and he was going as a student of Hoggwarts." said SNape, looking over the reports hehad recieved on the subject

"Kind'a a weird thing to do I mean, to re-live your student days in a drunken ruckass?" Hagrid said

"Oliver always was a weird guy once you got to know him, I mean, he ate, drank, and shat Quiddich like there was no tomorrow!" Harry mused. He and Oliver were friends but not close enough to have kept in touch after they both had wound up gradutaieng. While Harry and Ron and Hermione all went into the Ministry, Oliver was beng signed over as a huge star. All in all, it seems Harry's desk job had yeilded a safe end...more or elss anyway: he WAS still getting death threeats from the dark wizards he was putting away.

"Well, it seems in the end he shat himself allright, but it wasnt anything haveing to do with quiddich." Snape concluded

- - - - - -

The sound of opera permeated the meeting room of Malfoy-LeStrange & Durham when Draco enterd: he alays felt a little out of place in his fathers office...or what he precieved to be his fathers office anyway; Belletrix and Carpenter both held thier names in the firm's heading but, well, they rarely did a thing, not like Lucius did. And, because his father opperated one of the biggest mutually muggle and wizarding agencies, it was always on Draco's thin shoulders to carry the weight fo every assignment, every task, and every job he was given as if they were his LAST...

Because they could be.

Ever since graduateing from Hoggwarts, one of the best in his class thanks in no end to the dealings his father made for him, he and the whole wizarding world were enveloped in the changes at the Ministry: A "More Mutually Muggle Society" it was bieng called, all of it insituted by the new head of the Ministry in an attept to mask wizards as powerful Forbs500 members of the muggle world: not only did this help the muggle society prosper and grow, but, it allowed the wizarding community to grow as well...and it made men like those in the Malfoy family powerful beyond measure. Now, thanks to these changes, Lucius had become one of the greatest financial wizards ( pun deffinately intended ) in the world, both wizarding and otherwise. And, now, it was his office in the Corporate Tower that shoved all his wealth and oppulence in Draco's face - exotic swords, armor, relics, and persian rugs were everywhere as always, fancifal opera sounded. Lucius say in a chair at the head of the great center table, a look of barely held back anger seething behind his eyes

"You are not only late, but you are in a serious amount of fecal matter that is ever growing up to your neck my son" he said, rapping a heavy ringed finger on the table.

Draco gulped, a nervous smile sweeping his face as he swept his lengthy hair over his shoulders and tried to formulat a reasnable excuse.

"I...you see...' he stammerd

"What I see, boy, is that you have lost yet another case to Potter and Weasily and that intolerable Moody & Tonks lawfirm. To think, as powerful as we have become, with no help from you, were still looseing cases at an alarming level to those ratty Ministry based firms."

"It couldnt be helped! That dragon smugleing ring was bound to have been exposed sooner or latter, mean, come on! It was set up by Crabe and Goyle for crying a'loud! Those two couldnt handle even the simplest of schemes, like that wand fia-' Draco started to say bt he held his tounge when his father arose from his seat, his cane in his hand: he immediately knew his words were hitting on sore territory...

"That 'operation' was supposed to have helped us get one of OUR dragons into the Tri-Wizard tournament! We were supposed to have become a sponsor, one whose influence would have garnerd us a permenant foothold on the Tri-Wizarding Adendum! IT WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE GOTTEN US INFLUENCE!' he shouted before calming down and wipeing his brow. "Now, I hear, that the Ministry has taken a look into the death of Oliver Wood, an...unfortunate...matter...' he said, narrowing his eyes and looking at Draco.

"I, I'am sre I have no clue why your looking at me with the context of this case. I certainly have nothing to do with it.' he said, deffensively

"I hope not boy, I hope not. Still, I recall your efforts to have him signed in with us on some kind of...what was it, a benefits contract? he backed out when the smuggleing ring was busted open. He claimed he...

"He claimed he didnt want to be associated with a firm that had such questionable ties. That miserable contract LeStrange worked out had a loop hole, Oliver found a way out after he had signed with us, he -'

"IS DEAD' Lucius said. "Now lets have this be the end of the matter and if I hear Ministry officals sniffing about at my door, YOU will eb the one that will eb reamed for it, understand me?"

Draco nodded, humiliated and burning with rage at remembering his greatest accomplishment for the firm being ruined by Potter and his little friend!

"I understand." he said

"Very good' Lucius smiled as he waved to a seat next to him at the table where a set of scrolls and files sat. "Now then...i think, despite Belletrix and Carpenters objections, you sit in on the next meeting...so hurry up, read these, and be ready for a meeting in the next few hours."

Draco's face almost became flush with pride. he was being allowed a seat next to his father! Never, certainly even in his dreams, had he figured something like this would have been allowed...but...still!

"I wont fail you father!" he spat, excitedly as a school boy who'd gotten an 'A' on his final

"Oh, of that I can certain" Lucius smiled, his blazeing white teeth glareing at Draco as he smiled

- - - - - -

The office where Mad-Eye Moody and Tonks had called Harry and Ron into was befitting of someplace like the Ministry of Magic: it was small, under-budgeted, and looked like something out of an old hard boiled detectives novel. Harry half expected Mad-Eye to be wearing a trench coat and smokeing a pipe when he came into the office some days. Tonks was her useual, if a little aged self: pink hair, sweet eyes, but her smile hadnt shone as brightly as it used too when harry first recalled meeting her.

Harry and Ron took their seats while Mad-Eye looked at his live paiting of the sea-shore with rolling waves and occasionally skampering children: he despised that paiting, it had been a gift to him from the Head of the Ministry, so he kept it all the same should inspections ever occur and he wasnt the best liar to say "he didnt know wehre he had placed it"

"Boys, have a seat' he said when he realised they already WERE sitting. "Aaah, well, good. I take it you've both heard about the Oliver Wood case them have ya?" he said, looking to Harry speciffically.

"We have heard of it, yes. Snape seems to be on it with Hagrid altough, cant imagine why the Ministry is so involved so quickly. This is horrible, yes...but to need Ministry support? I think watever the case against Salazar is going to need, it should be focused on." Harry said.

"Harry's right Mad, I mean, with what I've gotten from the past few weeks worth of Lupin sniffing around'

"It doesnt matter!" Mad-Eye said. "This case is huge! Wood's death has hit the Wizarding world a little harder than it might normally. With the Ministry working alongside so many muggle governments now we all need to remember some of the things that make us who we are, and to remind us where we come from. Quiddich is the property of the Wizarding Community, and as such, so did Oliver. Without him, the sport will suffer greatly and we need to wrap it up, and FAST."

"I understand, with Lupin and Sirius working the scene and rounding up witnesses, everything will eb handled pretty quickly...right?" asked Ron. Mad-Eye merely sighed.

"I am afraid they're not coming up with any leads on this, at least not enough to keep Malfoy from sniffing around anyway." This immediately aroused Harry's suspicions and a bit of anger

"Why are they snooping around Olivers death!" Harry almost shouted. "Draco and he werent exactly 'chums' and as I recall, they hate eachother after Wood backed out of some deal they had going.

"Well then boys' Tonks said from the corner, "Looks like thats the best place for Lupin and Sirius to start isnt it?"

- - - - - -

Sirius and Lupin arrived at the receptionists desk of Malfoy-LeStrange & Durham around noon, just when all the big-wig execs took coffee breaks and flirted with girls in the mail room and the lower offices - it was ALSO when Sirius had most wished he'd brought a packed lunch from his apartment; he liked working for the Ministry, with Lupin, but haveing to work around the world was a hasttle and as good as New York food was, Sirius never botherd to transfer his money to pay for the thinsg he WISHED he could eat; he was especially, and ironically, fond of hot dogs

"So, young 'Master Draco' is in there is he?" Sirius asked as he and Lupin exited the taxi, Lupin looking as ragid as ever with his torn up coat and a hat that looked like it had been run over by a street cleaner.

"Thats what I am to udnerstand, yes. Today si the first opening day of some big trades so I imagine Lucius, Belletrix, and even that low rate wizard Carpenter will be in the borad room."

"So why then, I guess, would they let Draco in?"

Lupin pointed to a newspsper heading as they walked across he street where a stand vendor was selling the morning edition.

"Because, my friend, the prestigious firm of Malfoy-LeStrange & Durham, has conveniently had a front page accident that not only has coverd up the death fo Oliver Wood from the muggle news'

"Well, gee, not that it would mean much to them anyway! The Ministry would keep a tight lid on the matter and make it seem like nothing but some kind of traffic accident." Sirius interupted

"...Even with the Ministry it would be hard to cover up something hitting a car with the speed of a jet engine. But, what i was reffering to is that!" Lupin said, pointing to the newspsper that read "EXECUTIVE MERGER OF INFAMOUS ML&D LAWFIRM Inc. WITH FOREIGN AFFAIRS DEPARTMNT IN ENGALND"

"I guess Mr. Draco Malfoy gets to be the cover boy for a cover UP" Sirius said

"Indeed, and one that places the Malfoy estates in England as a benefactor from this merger. In otherwords...'

"The Malfoys' heads are gonna' grow two sizes too big." finsihed Sirius as they enterd the building.

- - - - -

The board room was abuzz with noise and questions as Lucius and Belletrix and Carpenter all rose to shake hands with Draco, the newest of the board executives, when the cameras went off in a halo of lights and clapping.

"What does this mean exacty for the firm?" one reporter asked. Lucius and Draco smiled for the cameras as they looked to a reporter from the Times.

"Well, basically, my son here will become my man in England to oversee opperations with this new merger deal...basically' Lucius laughed deeply, flashing another of his grand smiles.

"Also' added Belletrix, " he is considerd a full partner to take over for his father once he retires next year from the firm."

The excitement and questions continued to grow as Sirius and Lupin enterd, a host of lobby receptionists behind them, desperately trying to say things like "VIP" or "Reserved"; it didnt do them any good

"Nice party you seem to be throwing here!" Sirius shouted, garnering the attention of more than a few reporters. Lupin sighed in silent agony as Sirius drew evern MORE attention to himself by closeing the doors, and the receptionists that were behind the with a loud thud

"Aaah, I see we have two guests with us, perhpas from the FBI...CIA...or mabye some other group perhaps?" hissed Lucius through those too-white teeth.

"Oh, dont mind me, I am nt with the government directly. I never pay my taxes!" smiled Sirius. "They'd consider me a flight risk."

"Odd, then why dont you RISK it now hmm?' Belletrix smirked

"We just have some questions for you and your son" Lupin said squarely, his eyes fixed on Draco.

"And I have one for you first...who sent you?" Carpenter, a weasily looking wizard with a pointed beard and a look of a villianous sued-car salesman stated. Cameras , and then reporters, all turned to face the two party crashers.

"We'll be outside" Lupin said softly. "Excuse us , wont you?" he concluded as he exited, Sirius smiled, grabbing a few snack weiners off a tray before exiting the door.

Lucius laughed a little as he re-directed attention over to he and Draco.

"Dont worry friends theyre simply some disatisfied people I've had dealings with who, well, they come in i'begging/i for favors from time to time! hahah" he laughed as the crowd lauged with him...

Outside the board room Lupin smacked Sirius in the head so hard he nearly fell over completely and choked on his snack.

"What EXACTLY were you trying to do in there?" Lupin stated, his anger not showing in his voice but his body language; he had become a little ridgid, no doubt from so much attention being thrown at them both.

"I am not scared of Malfoy and his little cameras. There are rules within the Ministry even HE cant avoid and I knew it. He needs to know where were here Lupin, bessides, did you see the look on Draco's face? hah!"

"No, I was too busy looking at the one on his fathers! They, of all people, dont need time to concoct an side story for their possible involvement in this."

"Possible!" Sirius laughed. "One minute it's 'oooo, look'it the papers headlines' now it's 'They POSSIBLY did it?'.. make up your mind man!"

"I just know that Malfoy, Lucius especially, has a lot to loose from this situation. His son screwed up big with Oliver backing out of that contract and if his son off'ed Wood, he is the one whose going to pay with his firm's stock takeing a dive."

"Right...so he's going to cover for Little Lucius Jr no matter if he did anything or not, is that about right?"

"More or less...still, they cant avoid us forever and we;ll get our questions in...I'd just have liked it if we hadnt made SUCH a scene."

"Your...yoru right...I.." Sirius started to say before Lupin placed a hand on his shoulder.

"I wouldnt worry too much' he said with a grin. 'And...well, that look was worth the price of admission on Draco's face."

- - - - - -

Harry and Ron were going over notes when an owl arrived for Harry...in a regular envelope: that only meant one thing and it was apart of the job Harry loved, but at the same time, wished he could have switched out with Ron for. Lord knows it would have made his day but he was busy and the letter was addressed to him...

"Harry - Meet me at Tanners, 2 O'Clock Love, H.G."

Harry already knew, if it was a meeting at Tanners, one of the most expensive restraunts in this part of the city, he was about to get his ear chewed off over the best meal of his life. Too abd he wouldnt be enjoying it...

"Hermione summons' stated Harry, getting up to leave, while Ron munched on a rather un-savory PB&J. "Want me to bring you back anyhing? I hear the duck is to die for."

Ron shook his head.

"Nah, no thanks man. Last time you broughtme back lunch from a meeting with Hermione your attitude and look of utter depression had spoiled the...um...well, i couldnt pronounce what it was you brought back. French food an all, but I know it didnt look too appealing."

"You should have seen it while Hermione was bithcing at me over the meal"

"I didnt think makeing Hermione a district attorney would have made her head swell up to such a...a...allright so I dont know the word for it but with all the eldgers and dictionary's she carries in that purse of hers, I bet Hermione does!"

"Shes still our friend Ron, we cant forget that." Harry smiled

"Eh, well, she could show up here every once and a while...it'd be nice to see her on occasion."

"I'll send her your regards" Harry said as he exited the New York Ministry office.

- - - -

Harry enterd the restraunt at a little past 2, only by about six minutes, alnd already he could sense Hermione's aggrivation from across the room. He swore, just once, she got so in a twist about one time he was late that her hair split their own ends right in front of him! Still, he showed his ID and was seated where Hermione has taken the liberty of ordering the meal for him

"I hope you dont mind Harry' she smiled, "I took the liberty of placeing your order already. Salad as an appetizer allright?"

"Still as unappealing as the LAST time you orderd it for me when I was late." Harry smiled, sipping at the water already at the table for him

"Well' she smiled, with a 'tone' in her voice that made Harry uneasy, "mabye you'll learn not to be so late all the time." she said.

"As I recall' Harry said between sips of water, "I only started being late when you started arriveing everywhere early. I remember once when you stayed with me at the Dursley's, you arrived a week ahead of your OWN scedule! haha, they about had a fit! Still, that summer during our break from the Ministry Schooling was...eheh, exciteing' Harry said, blushing a bit. It was no secret, her and Hermione had been together for well over two years before they had to end things, sort of what ahppens when friends who were too close to beginw ith share beds. Harry, always ever the 'passionate recaller of godo times" liked to make ti known he wished they could be back together...and as always, hermione ignored him completely; This time it was to dote over the scarf the serveing woman had on that was makeing her run her mouth wish gushing comments and smiles. Harry had forgotten hwo good it felt to be complimented... he wonderd how Cho was doing at the house...

"Anyway Harry' Hermione stated, breaking his train of thought, ' about this tragedy with Oliver..."

"What about it?' Harry asked as the salad came, a grim reminder why you never emssed with a womana nd her gold card - she could do things to you, or order you a food you'd regret for the rest fo the night

"I need you to completely back away from it." she said bluntly. Harry, who was pokeing at the salad with his fork, jerked foreward to hard his fork nearly shatterd the bowl.

"WHAT! Why on earth would you ask such a thing!' he said angrily, more out of suprise than anything else

"I just do...as a favor. Please? I cant explain here but it's urgent. People...people might get hurt who dont deserve it." she concluded by the sign that she placed both her hands on the table and looked into Harry's eyes

"The only 'people', and I use the word loosely, who will be hurt, are the Malfoys and Salazar Incorperated! theyre ebhidn this, somehow, I know it! Even Sirius and Lupin know it!" Harry said, his face red and his scar hurting just a little more than it always did

"Sirius and Lupin take indirect orders from you and Moody and Ron, so dont go telling me theyre not snooping around where you've unleashed them...so to speak." she stated. "And it's not the Malfoy's I am worried about either. It's you and Ron, just, trust me."

"I trust you to keep the crimonals in two diffrent worls from affecting eachother, since you ARE a big time muggle now at the expense of neglecting the Ministry of Magic completely for...for, well, I would say something very nasty but I am a big boy and I think this meeting is over now." he said as he excused himself from the table.

Hermione sighed as she wanted to go to Harry, to try and correct things...but there wasnt anything she really coudl say before her cell phone rang. She was quick to answer as a voice resonated on the other line, one soft and familiar to her, like venom in her ear

The reason she had left Harry

The reason she was not apart of the Ministry of Magic

"Draco, sweetie, what is it?" she asked softly

- - - - - -

Draco had finished getting off the line with Hermione in his fathers private study adjacent to the conference room of ML&D Tower when Lucius enterd, his cane in hand, and he hit Draco so hard behidn the leg the long haired blonde fell over completely, nearly hitting his head on the side table.

"What did I tell you, hmm?" Lucius snarled. "I told you if ANY of those Ministry fools came looking to YOU in this incident with Wood, that I'd have your hide strewn up like a party banner!" he hissed as he gripped Draco by his neck and lifted him off the ground with almost inhuman strength, hsi eyes blazeing with mutterd incantations.

"You...dont...understand!' Draco choked out, his eyes rolling over as his body was wracked with pain

"OH, by all means, tell me! That way, when Lupin and Sirius start barking questions at me, I'll have a reasonable excuse! Go ahead son, TELL ME!" he mutterd, his voice deep and empty like a tomb

- - - - -

Lucius and Draco exited the study while Sirius and Lupin seated themselves at the confence table. Sirius was flipping through Lucis's memo book when the blonde haired Malfoy senior sent his cane down to strike Sirius's hand; but, in the blink of an eye, Sirius caught it with his free hand, holding onto it and jerking it from Lucis's hand with a smile

"Sorry, this dog has a few few tricks Lucius, it isnt like the 'old days' when I took orders from you and...the others." he grinned through his thick beard. "This time however, you should be the one to learn some new tricks, like telling the truth. For staters...' he said looking over at Draco, " by teaching your son nto be honnest when we start asking him questions."

"And, what exactly, and I being questioned ABOUT?' Draco smiled confidently

"The death of Oliver Wood last night, less than twenty four hours ago." Lupin said. "Can you please, just tell me, where you were?"

"Ofcourse...if that's all you needed, you could have just called me up and ASKED" Draco said politely, a gleam in his eye as he looked to Lucius. "I was at my club, The Rageing Dragon. As a point of fact, I saw Oliver last night. He and some of his friends, cliental of mine who frequent the club actually, came in and were...shall we say, drunk as bandits? I allowed them to be served, to show there was no bad dealings with he and I but i dont think he was aware enough of his surroundings to notice."

"We'll go to the Dragon next' said Sirius as he and Lupin got up to leave. "I wouldnt bother trying however to amend this story. Lupin has a nose that words very well. It hasnt even been a DAY...he'll know if you were there or not by the simle stench of that cologne your wearing." he grinned.

Draco's face seemed to go a little paler

"I 'AM' a werewolf, remember?" Lupin said as he and Sirius took leave

- - - - -

Ron was getting ready to go pick up some of hsi cleaning when Snape and Hagrid enterd, thier news on the Oliver Wood case grimer than chances are Ron was ready to hear:

"What have you found?' asked Ron, his head bried in papers.

"Not exactly good for our team' Hagrid said. "Lupin and Sirius questioned Malfoy, and according to him, Malfoy was at a club he owned all night. Oliver was even seen there and Draco not only let him in, but srved he and his friends."

"Any chance he was the one who got Wood to drunk?" Ron asked

"Saddly, we've gotten three reports that earlier than hsi arrival at the Dragon, Oliver was smashing his bloody brains out with drinks on par with Pan-Galactic-Gargle-Blasters." Snape chided

"Allright, so, we find who was with Oliver that night...I bet he's a real whose-who of the social muggle and wizarding world. I think most muggles think he's a soccer player...right?"

- - - -

The room smelled of paint - LOTS of paint - and Lupin was esecially uncomfortable with the 'goth' setting, mostly the part haveing to do with the iconic Wolf Man and Dracula images on the walls. Still, to get a meeting with the infamous model Natasha Yukon without a cavity search and a warrent was a good deal. Plus, Sirius and Lupin's ID's as detectives with certain offical governments allowed them to pose safely as inspectors: in essence they were, and they were on staff with most local cities in AMerica, but it was seldem that they ever needed to check their offices at the precinct since they were rented out to actors who pretended to eb them when it was needed...

Sirius and Lupin enterd while Natasha was painting a new canvas in red and black, part of a new winter line of works to be unveiled by Christmas: to Sirisu it looked liek glorified chciken scratch but, then again, he was no artist

"How can I help you gentlemen?' she asked, not takeing her eyes off her work.

"We'd just like to know what you and Oliver Wood were doing last night while you partied so hard it took 3 bars to fill up your liquor quota." Sirius said

"Pssh, mostly we were all trying to keep Wood sane! He was certainly w ild card that night, and when I say card, I mean JOKER. He was on something wacky and he was hell bent on haveing a good time."

"Well, from what we say, now he's just plain ol' fashioned bent" Sirous said. "And in a lot of directions."

"To sound rude, but still being truthfull, I am not too surpised really. Still, with the way that girl he was with kept egging him on, I guess it's no suprise he kept getting sloshed. If I were a guy, i'd be wrapped around her finger too."

"Girl?' asked Lupin. "Can you be more descriptive?"

"Yea, red hair, round little face but she had...quite a figure. She had a funny last name however, something like...oh what was it..."

- - - -

"GINNY WEASILY!" shouted Ron. "THATS the name she gave you! Your not serious are you?"

"She fits the description pretty well Ron' Lupi said.

"And what do you mean by that!"

'Well, in recent years you little sister nst so little and may I say..um..." Lupin blushed, embarassed at haveing to say such things to a girls older brother

"She's fileld out in places that get boys attention' Sirius said, nonchalantly

"Plus, she IS visiting you in New York while your here on this job and visiting your dad...I mean we DO need to question her Ron" Lupis sighed, sitting down in a chair next to Harry's desk

"She's been 'visiting' for three months because she hates it back home! Mom is a tyrant now with dad in the shape he's in and I dont blame her."

"I doubt she was really as involved as you might think Lupin' Harry said. "I mean, she graduated from Hoggwarts as an Instructor not too long ago so i think she and Oliver had every reason to be together, I mean, it was a sub-secretive Gryffindor party from what I understand but also to Hoggwarts students. I probably would have gone myself if I had know and...well, if thinsg at home ddint demand my attention so much."

"We'll need to speak to her...now" Snape said. All Ron could do was reach for the phone and call up his little sister

- - - - -

Cho Chang enjoyed the fall days through her window in Harry's loft apartment, so high above the husttle and busttle of the city. In a lot of ways it reminded her of the busy days she had back at Hoggwarts and afterwards, during her stay as a tutor in Beaubaxtons...followed by her ever so short job at the Ministry.

There however, were days like today, when she looked out that busy window and felt like the old fairy tales of a princess locked up high in a tower and surrounded by a moat with knights and such. It was the days like today she wished Harry didnt have such long hours at the Ministry branch office, that he could just for once be there for her when she needed him...

Silently, almost without her realiseing it, Cho drifted to sleep on the bed, her eyes getting heavy and shrouding her mind in darkness...

_I dont think we have anything to use in the case anymore, what with Malfoy and his private army of lawyers disassembleing our case like a bunch of ants on a sugar cube._ she heard Ron's voice say softly in the backgroudn of her memories of that day...

- - - - -

Ginny's attitude was about as bad as one could expect from a girl who was called into the Ministry of Magic's New York office to be questioned in the death of a good friend less than 24 hours old: she was livid pissed and not afraid to SAY so...

"GO SOD YOURSELF!" Ginny shouted, throwing a ledger at Snape who ducked out of the way with enough time to avoid being smacked in the face by it.

"Miss Weasily, please, calm yourself down!" Snape said, pointing a thin finger to the red haired woman sitting at the table with he and Hagrid and Mad Eye Moody.

"All were doing is establishing where you were the night that Oliver died." Mad Eye said, his tone weighed heavily by the situation of oen of his best investigators little sister being questioned on the information of hack-job artist.

"Where I was and why I was out and about is none of your bussiness and you know it!' she snapped. She was cring, her hands clenched as she slammed them against the table. "I am not that meek little girl from school Moody, I know my rights! YOU KNOW WHO MY BROTHER IS FOR CRYIN' OUT LOUD!"

"I know, I know!" Mad Eye said, backing away with enough speed he would have fallen over had Hagrid not supported him with a massive hand.

"Ginny, you've all but confessed to being with Wood last night and the guy was smashed so badly he barely knew where he was, just tell us what we want to know!" Ron said, trying to use the 'older brother' edge to his advantage: he got the bird from Ginny as a response.

"YOU, more than anybody, had better keep your trap SHUT! I dont know how or why you've been conned into this but if you think I need to 'confess' to anything your sorely mistaken Ronald!" she said through sobs and grinds of her teeth

"Everybody, can... can you leave the two fo us alone?" asked Harry.

"Right now, I could use a break from this" sighed Snape as he and the rest exited the room slowly. Ron took his time, eyeing Ginny like a cat eyes a mouse before he exited as well.

After all of them had left Harry sat himself down across from Ginny, placeing his wand on the table in front of her.

"Just to, eh, show I wont use it or anything ...' he stammerd, a little nervous about the situation and he and Ginny both knew it was akward at best them being alone together

"I, I know you wouldnt do anything like that...' Ginny sniffled. "Unlike my brother, that sone of a BI-'

"Ginny, look, Ron was the most adament about you not being brought in but a witness places you at the scene of this disaster and we BOTH know the last thing that any of us need right now if...complications."

"She's just a muggle' Ginny sighed. "Anything she said wont fly in a situation like this Harry...I mean...you know his stance of things now."

"Actually, it's the oposite is true. Percy's actions have been guideing to a union of the Wizarding and Muggle worlds and Olivers death is serious blow to that union right now. If it comes down to avoiding a huge struggle he'll take the word of a thousand muggles if he can resolve the case...he's breatheing down Moody's neck, and...ROn...Ron claims he's pretty worked up. Havent you spken to him in the past three months, havent you SEEN how big Malfoy is now with the acceptence of Wizarding 'aides' to Muggle governments. Face it, your at the center of a pretty hot scene and Percy wont bail you out of this fire, in fact, he may watch you burn."

Ginny made a sour face, contorted by some acceptence of the truth.

"Harry...I...cant explain anything further, all right? I was... was told not too."

"Told! By whom?" Harry said when suddenly the door swung open behind him; Harry turned to see Hermione standing in the doorway, a look of silent anger smeared over her face

"Ginny, as your lawyer, I advise you to to keep council with ME on this matter. Harry, you will not speak to Ginny Weasily without myself present, do we understand?"

- - - - - -

Harry and Hermione pulled themselves into a private Ministry office, Harry's scar buring against his forehead as he paced around the room while Hermione sat in a seat, solid and dominant like a pillar of ice; the tension in the room was thick for minutes as neither spoke, neither dareing to disturb the other while they plotted that they were going to say. Finally, Hermione broke the silence

"Potter, I warned you to stay out of this and you forced my hand in the situation: she said smuggly while Harry about recoiled in anger

"HARRY! Thats my name, not...POTTER! You sound like that snake of a husband of yours so cut it out, you...you know what that does to me. And as for 'forceing your hand" in anything you about as backwards in that logics as reversal spell, any first year can see that! Ginny was called in on a witness placeing her with Wood the night he got so drunk he DIED from it and we have jobs to do, so, we called her with Ron's help."

"You trapped her in that room and all but started to accuse her of being in league with whatever conspiray you've cooked up against the Malfoy's!." she retorted, her eyes still never meeting Harry

"And I see you coached Ginny on what to say BEFORE we found out she was involved, meaning Miss. I-Have-A-Brain-So-Big-A-Tour-Buss-Can-Drive-Through-It, that you can be considerd haveing commited conspiracy against the Ministry by railroading out assignment and coaching a witness!"

"I am just following orders too Harry and looking out for Ginny. She came to me, in tears and half drunk, explaining to me she didnt want to go to Azkaban over this affair and I promised her sanctuary from that until I sorted out what was going on and I still am. I dont need you and Ron butting in and getting the Ministry of Magic involved."

"Hermione, let me break this down in terms simple enough you can grasp them in an obviously one-in-a-life-time dillequincy fit, which you seem to be in here: THERE IS NO WAY AROUND AN INVESTIGATION! Ginny Weasily knows something, and for one, if it will get me off Malfoy's back, I'd think you'd be pleased! For once there is a lead not related to that blonde vult-'

"Harry!' Hermione said.

"Shut up" Harry snapped. "You come in here, probably on orders form that viper, and start telling me what I can and can not do in a case assigned to me by by superiors? Hermions, luv', you not with the Ministry at all so what gives you the power to do anything in this case hmmm?"

Hermione opened up her black bag of a purse and pulled out three scrolls, each of them encased in obsidian holders with exotic runs and letters upon them.

"What in the name of the heavens are these?' Harry said, a litle confused by such elaborate scrolls.

"There three motions for the upcoming trial: one to dismiss Ginny Weasily as a witness one to supress all matters from the past 24 hours as evidence, and a 3rd to move the trial to a muggle court."

"Haha! You've got to be out of your blinking-blue mind! What makes you think these can, or ever will be, authorized?" Harry winced

"Because they already have been, signed and sealed, by Percy Weasily himself

- - - - - -

"What can I say, the situation warrents such action" was all Percy Weasily said after a rageing invasion of his office by Harry, Mad-Eye Moody, and Tonks.

"Sir, with as little due respect in this matter as possible, what are you THNKING?" Mad Eye stated. Percy merely smiled a little grin as he pulled some scrolls from his desk

"The truth is, Hermione contacted me once Ginny came to her and I instructed her to keep this matter as a muggle affair."

"What is that supposed to mean...exactly?" asked Ron

"It means brother, that for the most part, this crime will appear as nothing more than a freak accident involveing a car and it's passenger who saddly perished. The Ministry is takeing no stance on this case, nor will it in the future." her said, his tone lowering almost like a threat.

"So, basically, your screwing us" Harry mutterd

"Oh come now Harry!' Percy grinned. "Screwing you is what I'll do if you proceed with this case...now please, I have a five O'Clock with my next friend so...take the fire-place and some Floo powder and do manifest somewhere where you'll be usefull, all of you, because this matter is sealed as 'CLOSED' as of right now."

- - - - -

"I cant believe he's doing this to us!" Ron said over his drink, the noise of the bar not nearly loud enough to clear his mind along with the alcohol

"I suppose I can' Harry said, takeing a drink from his vodka. "I mean, think about it from his twisted point of view; a wizarding star dies out on a drunken binge, a wizard witness sees it all go down and seeks assylum with a District Attorney who, through no small means of coincidence, is ALSO a wizard?"

"Well, gee, when you phrase it like _THAT_ lets just all jump of the Percy Wagon." Ron said as his pager suddenly went off, his face darkening as he saw the number scroll across the LED screen.

"Ron, thats now what I meant, what bothers me is Hermione's involvement, I just dont understand how or WHY Ginny would go to her house at all...I mean. thats what i dont get here man' -

"Whatever, I have to go...number pageing and all." Ron said, sounding like a defeated Quidich champion.

"Right...I gott'cha" Harry sighed, patting Ron on the back as he left. "Send my best wishes, allright?" he shouted as Ron left the bar. He didnt respond

- - - - - -

"Obviously' the doctor said, pointing to an X-Ray of the human brain that wa silluminated on the screen while Ron and his brothers looked onward. ' his condition thanks to the treatments were usieng here at the NY Munggo Hospital as shown considerable decreases in progression."

"But' stated Fred Weasily, ' theyre still continueing, I mean, it hasnt STOPPED?"

"Saddly, no, it hasnt and thats the part that I cant understand. Little by little your father is loosieng his memories thanks to a curse we've never seen before and, frankly, I think slowing it down is all anybody can do. He's a first-case scenario, possibly even the ONLY case...I am afraid we just cant treat something we dont understand on this high a level."

- - - - -

Hermione enterd the house during some kind of galla function because the main room was filled with black tie guests, apparently some kind of masquerade benefit. Hermione felt a little rejected for not haveing been told but then again she was so busts he and Draco rarely even spoke until the past 24 hours had become involved. As she took off her shoes and placed her purse and briefcase down she was greeted by a very opulently dressed Narcissa, her mother-in-law, who greted her warmly; the two rarey spoke but their visits when they were together were always pleasent and Hermione rather liked her company during big scale parties since, changes are, it was the wizarding community Draco and his father were entertaining

"Hello sweetheart' Narcissa stated. "Lucius and I dropped over to see Draco while he was entertaining guests, I suppose you've ehard about hsi promotion then?" she smiled

"Um, yes, I did but only as a foot-note really from the newspaper, I was hopeing to see him alone tonight but...heh...company as always." Hermione sighed, not wanting to make a scene in front of her husbands many guests...at least not now; she was too tired. Still, she got her wish anyway as Draco, looking as elegant as everm , came out from the party and huged Hermione with as much effection as one gives a releteive you rarely see on holidays.

"Good that your home luv' Draco said. "There is a lot were going to need to go over tonight so be in the study in, say, twenty minutes? I'll find an excu-' he started to say before Hermione cut him off mid sentence, ehr tone annoyed and frustrated

"We can talk about things in the morning Draco, I need sleep. I was up all day at the Ministry and it was hellish to say the least. Harry is being a jerk again as always!" she exclaimed but before she could even turn to head up the stairs Draco's hand was around her wrist, a look of murder in his eyes

"You told me you were going to handle him!' Draco snarled behidn his clenched lips. Narcissa smiled and looked away, turning abck to the party at hand.

"And...I did' Hermione said, as she forceably snatched her hand easily from Draco's weak grip; he never COULD take charge with enough force to even stun Hermione. She pulled back her hand with a powerful jerk that sent Draco falling backward onto the floor as Hermione walked up the stairs. Draco collected hismelf, a bit shaken, as he went back to the party

- - - - - -

Percy sat in his office in the England Ministry of Magic office, a pile of papers on his desk already and more and more arriveing every few hours; ever since his drastic policey of aideing muggle governments into positions of accepting and hopefully acknowledging wizards, there had been a fire-storm of controversy: heck, almost one half the Ministry was now located out of New York and Berlin to accomidate the growing 'intrest' in the Wizarding World shown by America's President and Germany's leaders

Still, as much good as he believed he was doing, he also understood thew inherent 'BAD' he was unleashing: groups like Malfoy-LeStrange & Durham for once, all of it a piece of work to sham the public into accepting wizards with the assumption theyre power brokers and masters of bussiness. On some levels Percy liked the idea of shadowing the world's governments, of keeping people like him as the 'power behind the throne'...bt he also knew that was impossible; sooner or latter muggles would know what went on behind their boxed in little world and Percy simply wanted there to be a buffer of leaders who understod the existence of magic in office should bad things arise

But then, ooooh and then, you had matters like this bit with Oliver Wood; a drunken ex-frat boy of the most popular order goes and gets himself killed and a trio of wizards, the Ministry, and uppity muggle governments start looking into things...just as Lucius had said they would.

A small-time mail clerk passed by the office, a look of white fear on her face as she knocked at the chamber's exsquisite door, pokeing her head in.

"Mr...mr..Weasily, you...you um...a guest to see you." she stammerd.

"At this hour? Who on earth could possi-" he started to say when a shadow coverd his door, tall and elegant, like a cobra wth two gleaming eyes set into Percy's face.

"Greeting, my dear Percy' the cold voice hissed as the figure enterd the room, his cape sweping behind him as his foot-steps were accompanied by the 3rd 'rap' of a cane at the mans side. "I trust everything is proceeding well with the Muggle and Wizarding merger opperation...or inst it? Nasty things I am hearing with Oliver's death and all, so close to the time of the summit between key leaders and a select few in the wizarding community? This is sure to raise questiosn Percy, and I am just here to keep your mind at ease" the figure said, oftly, sweetly, like a rich uncle rewarding his long-lost cousin with advise and money right before he told him he'd be locked in a dungeon when he came home.

"I am well a-aware of this matter!" Percy said, straightening himself up. "Everything has been setled with Harry and Moody...and my brother."

"Wonderful, glad to hear it my boy!" the shadow said. "You will, ofcouse, notify me however if they continue to push the matter? You'll forgive me if I fear ambitious Mr. Potter wont so easily back down, even by words you tell him. After all...even a directly aimed Avada-Kadavra curse didnt kill him, and that was almost at point blank range. Potter is now infamous as a 'crusader' against all manner of conspiracy and such...' the shadow contuned, almost purring his words.

"There is no conspiracy, I know that, you know that -'

"BUT' the shadow stated, ' does he? he sees Death Eaters nwo in every shadow, he thinks Malfoy and his firm is evil incarnate, Potter is a good Ministry agent but I am afraid he sees shadows a little _darker_ then they really are."

"I know, but can you blame him? After what ahppened to Cho Chang in the court room that day, I think I'd start a crusade too."

The shadowy man turned to exit the room, this cane tapping with his steps has he left. Before he exited the door, he echoed a final parting bit of advise.

"Make sure Potter keeps his little scared head out of bussiness between you and I, percy, or I promise you your fathers condition will not only worsen, it will be FATAL" and with that he clsoed the door behind him.

Percy sat, alone in his office, shakeing

- - - - - - - -

It was extremely late when Dr. Lockheart arrived in his offices at the New York St. Mungo's office, throwing his coat on a rack and takeing a seat to look over the notes from his star patient, Mr. Weasily Senior. As he skimmed the notes it stated that the Weasily family had stopped over for a visit and a check up...this worried Lockheart a little but to no great effect.

'_Accio_' Lockheart mutterd as files from a far off desk came flying into his hand with a wave of his wand. As he continued to skim the research his doctors had given him, he adjusted his reading glasses with a thin smile on his face.

"Why, Arthur Weasily, old boy' he grinned, ' I think it's time you had a miraculous recovery while my stock takes as equily massive shot in the arm!" he said as he reached into a small desk drawer and pulled out a little green box, where-in was a small gem stone, no bigger than a quarter. "I think you've about one more little use before this little charm is ready for the market."

- - - - -

Harry enterd his apartment late in the night again; it seemed like as always he was being latter and latter to arrive home and he imagined that upset Cho Chang greatly, and what was worse, he couldnt blame her.

As Harry snuck into his clothes for bed, he heard a movement from the bedroom. Siletly he pulled out his wand, creeping ever closer to the source of the noise until he whisperd '_Lumos_'. A soft blue light came from his wand that illuminated Cho Chang, curled up under the blankets, like a bath of moonlight. Harry sighed and smiled a bit; she had been moveing around in bed again

Harry crawled into bed along side her, not moveing so much as to wake her, and soon he was drigting off to sleep, but as always on nights like these...memories came back to visit him in the shadows

_'I dont think we have anything to use in the case anymore, what with Malfoy and his private army of lawyers disassembleing our case like a bunch of ants on a sugar cube.''_ Ron said in the hazy memories of his mind

_"I dont think it is all that bad, I mean, we still have a witness who saw the crime BEING commited after all. The council cant just throw evidence like that out the window."_ Harry heard himself say

_"The Malfoys are simply doing their jobs as the deffense, and we should be takeing notes from what they did to us back there so we dont loose to them again"_ stated Hermione

_"I hope I did allright in there, I mean, this is my first REAL case and working with you three'_ Cho said

_"technically two, I havent decided if I am going to join the Ministry yet, but...we'll see" laughed Hermione_

As far back as Harry could recall, that was the last time all 3 of the 'Trio' had been together and happy...

- - - - - -

Ron and his brothers, Fred and George, entered the waiting room of the New York Mungo's Hospital branch that was hidden away as an old furniture store to normal muggle eyes and ears. Ron, especially today, was looking horrible and it was clear to the twin, he probably was taking thier fathers condition worse than anyone else, even their mother.

Ron flipped through a magazine of the Wizarding Weekly, the popular circulation rag started by the Lovegood family three years ago that took off like a rocket due to it's combination of edgy reporting, clever wording, and some of the biggest hack stories to ever see print: still, it was because of Luna's report about a certain patient of the English Mungo's branch who was the recipient of a 'miracle cure' spell that fixed his memories - that person was now the head of the St. Mungo's Hospital of Magical Maladies both English, American, and South American. He was also a former Defense Against the Dark Arts instructor, whom Ron had had during his time at Hoggwarts.

That man was Guildroy Lockheart, the 'specialist' who was now handling Arthur's case as of this very grey and overcast morning. Ron was positive he didnt like the idea of this rather nefarious man, pardoned from the Ministry by Percy Weasily himself, handling his fathers case however he was positive no other wizard on the planet knew more about memory enhancing and effecting spells...which was Arthur's only chance

"Greeting Weasily family' Lockheart said, flashing a smile behind his glasses and white coat.

"It's, um...heh, it's certainly a suprise to see you...here...RUNNING St. Mungo's given the fact you, well, you were locked up here for so long!" Ron chuckled, more than a little nervous.

"Well, I'll admit, my life had it's share of abnormalities in it before my experimental treatment with the _Reversium_ charm, but, it worked wonders on my mind, I re-gained all my memories...as horrible as, well, they are for the crimes I commited...but still, the Head of the Ministry felt my years as a blithering idiot made up for my past offenses and now, here I am, putting the Reversium charm into effect for the good of people like your father." he chuckled as he sat down with the Weasilys.

"Basically, all i personally care about' said Fred, ' is knowing how this curse got placed on dad is the first place."

"And I just want to know how we get it removed" concluded George as he and Fred took seats in unison: some habits were just too hard to break, even at their age

Lockheart opened up a scroll he had brought into the room with him, as he explained in theory what be belived happened.

"To be blunt, I am positive your father was effected by a variation of the _Obliviate_ spell."

"Thats the same one you used on yourself, right?" asked Ron.

"Yes, that's correct, however this perticular curse seems to take an extremely long amount of time to work, it selectively destroys the most fond memories and leaves a victim...well, trapped in nothing but his own worst memories and toughts. I dare say, even I would not be as brazen as to use this on even my worst enemy but, none the less, I am sure the _Reversium_ will fix your father."

"How...exactly...were you treated, i mean, Miss. Lovegoods report claimed that you were treated by a wizard named Taftington who invented the _Reversium_ and used it on YOU so-' stated George as Lockheart finished his sentence

'Yes, so that he could use my knowledge to complete his research on the spell. His first attempts only awakened my memory but they certainly didn't restore them. Still, with my growing return to normalcy I was able to give him the correct steps into fixing the iReversium charm spell which, soon, rectified countless cases of wiped memories like I am sure it will fix Mr. Weasily."

- - - - - -

Ginny sat in the Ministry office after arriving from the hotel where she and the Weasily's now lived during their stays in New York; the luxury was nice but still, Ginny missed the old burrow and mother, even when she was yelling and throwing her noew more-than-frequent fits. Hermione had arrived as well to offer council while Harry waited in another part of the Ministry for Ron to return from a 'specialist' meeting at Mungos

"Ginny, really, you dont have a thing to worry about." Hermione stated, trying to brighten the young female Weasily's spirits

"Tell that to Ron and Harry. They think I...they think I had something to do with Oliver's death and now it seems even Percy wont completely be on my side, what with his newfound muggle supporting policies and all that rubbish!" Ginny said, her head hung low

"Dear, no mater what happens, your safe and Olivers death will be rememberd , saddly, for the fact he was intoxicated beyond measure, not that you have anything to do with it." Hermione said pleasantly

"But...thats just it, I ..." Ginny started to say before closing her mouth and balling up her fists.

"But, 'what'? You came to my house to wait for me after the accident, to ask for my help. Thats what you and Draco told me, I mean, I see no other reason you would feel in trouble. You were out partying with an old friend and there was an accident, nothing more." Hermione said softly as the door opened and Lupin and Sirius entered, grim looks on their faces.

"What in the devil is the meaning of this, were in closed council' snapped Hermione, so freaked out she about choked.

"Were here to ask the young Miss Ginny Weasily about her time at the Raging Dragon." said Lupin.

"Thats a club Draco owns." Hermione stated. "Oliver went there with Ginny the night of the accident, along with a couple of friends."

"Aaah, yes, but were not talking about THAT particular visit' Sirius corrected. "We mean all the other ones before that, the ones he's made almost three times a week every night, where she and a few of Draco's little goonies like to collaborate in private rooms and where they serve a particular drink called Dragons Breath, ever heard of it?" he asked Ginny

"I...have...it's only served to the .. to the owners and the managers' Ginny stated.

"Ginny, how on earth would you know any of that, and what is this about you being a regular at Draco's club? He hasn't mentioned you visiting in the months you and your family have been down here in New York."

"Aaah, you see' Lupin stated, " the exhumation of Oliver's body was just finished up a few moments ago. The poor lad was pumped FULL of Dragons Breath, so much so I am surprised he had enough strength to get on his Numbus 2000 and fly himself into that car. Personally, I suspect the broom was cursed and were going to check it out in a few moments unless you have any 'corrections' to your story Ginny?"

The room fell silent as Ginny began to break down in tears.

"I just did what Draco told me!' Ginny sobbed. "he...he...he told me that I should recommend Oliver get a few drinks at his club since he had heard there was going to be a party and he wasn't invited but I was. he..he said I should get Oliver to be allowed into he club so Draco could take us all back to the private lounge for heavier drinks! He, he said it was that he wanted to bury the hatchet between he and Oliver!"

"He wanted something buried alright but it had nothing to do with any hatchet!" Lupin stated. "Go on."

"I saw him start to ramble on about his school days, how he missed playing Quiddich without the heavy pressure, and...and...Draco, he had a a Numbus 2000 in a display in his room at the club, he...he handed it to Oliver and started making him remember...remeber how fun it used to be to fly around for fun and not as a job."

'And Oliver, so drunk and upset, I bet he couldn't resist" Lupin said. hermione simply kept quiet as Ginny continued

"After, after he took off, ignoring all of us completely, I panicked! I knew he was going to have an accident, I knew it, but Draco, he invited me back to his place, he said everything would be alright, that he would take care of everything! He..he...then he started to come on to me, a lot more so than usual..."

"USEUAL!' Hermione sputtered

"Then you came in Hermione, and Draco explained everything to you. that I needed help and you said you would!" Ginny wiped some of the tears from her eyes and sniffled a little. "Draco, before you came in and interrupted us, he said that if I kept quiet about this whole thing, he had a guaranteed way my dad would get better! So...I...I've kept quiet but I do not want any more of this, I just do not want to go to Azkaban or my dad to forget who I am!"

Sirius approached Ginny and embraced her while Sirius handed Hermione a cell phone.

"I'd best call that blonde twig of yours' he said. "He's got a lot to answer for."

Hermione was already one step ahead of him on her phone her teeth grinding and her hair puffed up like an angry cat.

"I'll make sure the remains of the Numbus 2000 are looked at. I bet you coins to doughnuts that it's conveniently had a curse placed on it." Lupin said as he walked out the door to get Harry while Sirius followed

"Oh, man, there you go mentioning food again. I am starving!" Sirius barked

- - - - - - -

3 O'Clock, a little over 24 Hours since Oliver Wood's death...

Somewhere in a greasy, trashed out apartment building, the sounds of hurried footsteps can he heard: they scuttle against the peeling fake hard-wood floors on the hallways leading to the owners front door, and the rush behind it and slam it shut. There hiding, theyre on the run, and deep down they know it's already too late: she has the scent, she's had it since they got off the subway, since the target walked half a mile from a fish market to GET to this place. They might as well have spray painted a big arrow on his back in neon.

The target, a poor man named McCreedy, is a small fish the the circle of Dark Wizards; to be fair to all _REAL_ dark arts users, McCreedy is a bug, a guy who peddles fake wands and charms to muggles who dont know any better. he's what the agency calls 'A Magician', a silly name for an all too real crime of late: peddling fake or faulty magical good to people who have in business with them. Tonight McCreedy sold an amulet, stolen from a 5th year Hoggwarts student on Thanksgiving break in the city, that gives the wearer abnormally good reflexes however, it was being used by a dance major who was well aware of how the amulet works: put it in the hands of a muggle, sure they'll feel spry for a few days, but what they wont know is the re-activation incantation to KEEP the amulet working. Within a week the poor old woman who bought the charm would have been petrified like a statue. Luckily, for all involved, McCreedy is a sloppy person and his trail was easy to acquire.

McCreedy shut the door behind him, his heart racing as he deposited his cash from a previous sale, almost seven hundred dollars, into an ash tray on the kitchen bar. he nervously sat down and saw there was an owl waiting for him; probably his benefactors wanting an update and he was a week late already. He'd have to hurry up to avoid any 'repercussions'. Suddenly there came a sound at the door and McCreedy, a small little weasel of man in his late thirties, balding with eye glasses, nearly died of shock. As he looked out the window he simply saw a small kitty, one of countless that lives in the nasty festering ally-ways that he, on occasion, fed. This time, since he had a spare can off food, he opened the door and stuck the can out for the feline pawing at his door like she intended to claw her way through.

"Easy there puss, I've got ya, I've got ya! there we go' he smiled at the solid white cat with giant almond shaped eyes...one blue and one green...before he had time to slam his door shut the 'cat' that was before him had begun to transform into a woman with similar colored eyes, her hand grasping his in a swift motion as he looked up into his face behind long strands of blonde-red hair, almost a strawberry color.

"Hello there McCreedy' the woman smiled as she jerked the little man out from his doorway. In a flash there were six other cats coming in from the hallway, all of them suddenly revealed to be Animagi: all of them from the Ministry of Magic

"Why, ahaha, Tabitha! What do I...erm...what do i owe this honor?' he stammered.

"Honor?' she said in a thick english accent. "It's no honor coming into this STY, having to touch scum like you, and then having you be the one who is honored? No no, this for me is hell, so before I get to acting like a real demon, why dont you and I, and my friends here, have a CHAT while you put the kettle on." she said, her tone a mix of polite and vicious

"I...I...dont have a kettle." McCreedy gasped, his face sweating so much his glasses just about slid off his face.

"I am SO sorry to hear that' Tabitha frowned, sadly.

As the apartment, as runty and low-down as it was, became a guest retreat for these wizards, McCreedy sat himself down at his kitchen table while Tabatha, the obvious leader of this little 'crew', sat herself down before him, a few scrolls in her possession.

"Listen, I know you REALLY didn't mean to steal from that 5th Year, just like you ACCIDENTALLY knew to neglect to sell the muggle a incantation to keep the amulet working before she froze up like a statue in the park? I mean, so far I am right...right?" she asked, a look of sympathetic expression on her face.

"Of-course, I mean, had I know I was going to be bothering a ...a woman of you reputation in the Ministry, I would have left well enough alone from that sale." he stammered, nervously

"Dont insult my intelligence McCreedy' Tabatha said. "You'd have sold that charm to anything that looked like it could use some joint relaxant and we both know it."

"Yes, your right" he admitted shamefully.

"Soooo, just so were clear on how I can get me and my friends here out of your little hovel, please, do inform us of how and where you procured the amulet? You dont have the skills to steal a line from a movie script so, come on...tell us who your operators are and this time mcCreedy?' she said with a grin as she drew her wand, " I _MIGHT_ let you go just being transfigured into a big mean rat, the kind that can fight back."

McCreedy looked over to the owl still at his ledge

"Or...' Tabitha smiled, " I can make you one of those wee tiny little white mice! So, what can you tell me?"

"I...I can tell you only that-' he started to say when one of the Animagi came from out of one of the closets, his arms holding a large group of broom-sticks.

"Looks like we've got us ... I'd say...seventeen or so fake Nimbus 2000's here, all of them still carrying the brand of where there going to be shipped too." the larger black wizard said, his voice gruff and gravely.

"tck, tck, tck. First rule of black market trading McCreedy. Never send ILLEGAL goods via the Owl Post. I mean, seriously." Tabitha grinned

"I am just following my orders, I am supposed to mail these to...to...new addresses, as specified by future instruction!" McCreedy muttered, nervously looking over to the owl at his window. he then realized that was a STUPID thing to do but it was too late

"Oh, well how convenient! Looky like the mail is just right on time for you!" Tabitha chuckled as one of the wizards, an asian man with a face that seems like it hadnt smiled in days, went and took the addressed letter to McCreedy and began reading off addresses aloud until Tabitha and the black wizard stopped him. The names, and addresses, were all scattered across the globe, no one address matching any one state or country.

"Now, I am no big Quiddich fan here' Tabitha said, ' but I am willing to bet a lot that your sending these Nimbus 2000 broom sticks as 'gifts' to a veritable IVY LEAGUE list of world famous Quiddich stars, am i right or...' Tabitha waved her wand threateningly, ' should we reference these names eh?"

"NO, no, your correct. Yea, I am...I am just a middle man for this errand, I received a big shipment of those brooms and I am supposed to have them mailed out within the next two days, thats all I know!" he wailed

"Now...who, exactly, would be sending a nobody like you brooms to deliver to Quiddich players' Tabitha asked, as McCreedy was surrounded by wizards with un-happy expressions

- - - - - -

Snape entered the conference room where Harry and Ginny were waiting on Draco's arrival, already hours behind, his face flush as always, almost as white as the papers he had in his hand.

"This came in, about a few minutes ago, from a Ministry agent. There were over seventeen cursed Quiddich brooms about to be mailed as 'gifts' to a list of popular stars. Oliver's name was on the list that we received.

"Any clue who supplied them or should I just TELL you who we all know it is?" Harry said.

"Seems Mr, Malfoy wasn't content on watching Oliver Wood die as another name off a list of popular players, it seems he wanted him offed first and took great pleasure I bet from getting the satisfaction of getting 'revenge'"

"Exactly!' said Harry

"Oh Potter, do yourself a favor and get a brain would you?' Snape said, rolling his eyes so loudly Harry could almost hear them. "Do you really think the Malfoy's, or anybody, would be QUITE that stupid? These brooms were supplied to a second rate pawn dealer wizard, I mean, its not the most elaborate of schemes if you ask me."

"Funny, i dont recall asking you. If I wanted your advise I'd have paid for it" Harry retorted

"Hmm, and they say the best thing in life arent free?" Snape smiled, sarcastically

- - - - -

"Tabitha, seriously, we all appreciate everything you've done on this case so far' Percy said as Tabitha sat with Percy's chief liaison with the Ministry Council, Miss Minerva McGonagall herself. ' But, really, i dont think the case should be re-opened, even with all this new evidence thats being brought in. Think of what the effects will be on the wizarding and muggle world!" Percy exclaimed

"I dont think you give two shats about the 'Wizarding World' anymore, not since your big idea to get the muggle governments interested in backing you started to pay off in the Ministry Council."

"NOW, that is-'

"My opinion, and nothing more, you dont have to worry. I still do my job and that job is shutting down dark wizardry crimes, when and where, i find them. The evidence of such a large scale planned murder of these Quiddich players warrants FULL Ministry of Magic investigation, at all costs...wouldnt you agree granny-mum?" Tabitha said looking to Minerva with a smile on her face.

"OH, dont start the - the- 'team up' thing on me again!' percy glowered. "Minerva, please, I simply dont think this case warrants further investigation so close to the muggle talks summit next year."

"Hmmm' McGonagall said, grinning back at her grand-daughter. "i think, under these conditions, it is best if I support the re-opening of this case as an emergency act of the Council. I mean, you can object of-course as the Head of the Ministry, but I am fairly sure there will be a complete vote for the case to be opened if we have to go the 'democratic' way of things, yes?"

Percy was positively boiling with frustration in his robes as he nodded his head.

"Very well, Tabitha McGonagall, your hereby to be transferred with Snape and Hagrid, under their supervision, to help with the case from there. I am sure Moody will be thrilled to have a chance to turn Harry and Ron loose on this matter."

"Naturally, I suspect, Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasily will get to the bottom of this affair now that their hands will be officially unbound." Minvera smiled. Percy only muttered a little and dismissed them all...

- - - - -

Meanwhile, arriving via a limousine, Lucius & Draco Malfoy approached the Ministry of Magic's New York office...along with three lawyers and a wide variety of paperwork

- - - - -

"I really fail to see what this whole matter is about' Lucius said with all his useual charm and charisma while Harry and Ron and Tabitha sat across from him and Draco; the room where all had now gatherd, normally used for recieveing VIP guests of Mad-Eye Moody, was slowly about to become a make-shift cross-investigation chamber.

"This matter is being called into question because Draco Malfoy over there' Ron said,' was seem with Oliver Wood the night h died loading him up on drinks when afterwards Malfoy handed him a cursed Nimbus 2000, built in with a dark arts curse to spiral out of control after a certain speed which, certainly, a drunken Wood would have reached."

Lucius grinned a wide toothy smile before he glanced over to Draco, who seemed to positively shrink in his seat.

"I ifaili to see where your procureing this information from...perhaps a credible witness, or mabye a renowned gest who visits Draco's club mabye? I'd like to know your sources...NOW' Lucius stated as he rapped his cane against the side of his chair.

"Dad, dont get so worked up, this will all be cleared up in due time." Draco said, bolstering up what courage he had in this spectacle.

"Mr. Malfoy, Draco' Harry said 'politely' while still trying to seem like a legitimate agent of the Ministry of Magic sitting bore Lucius Malfoy, one of the most dangerous men in the wizarding world, " we've brought in the witness who was with Oliver, and was with Draco in his club, the night of this crime...now then, this 'talk' is to find out your side of the story before we call a hearing with the Ministry of Magic directly."

"A TRAIL?' Lucius scoffed. "You've lost what part of your mind that scar didnt damage child!' he said.

"I was told, I was promised, that this matter was to be kept directly away from the Ministry of Magic, Hermione and Percy both have claimed this a muggle affair and it has nothing to do with anything in the wizarding world!" Draco said, sounding more confident that usueal

"And, if all we were dealing with was the death of Oliver Wood...you'd probably have your way" Tabitha smiled as she giggled a little bit.

"What are we talking about **NOW**?' Lucius rummbled.

"We are TALKING' Harry smiled, ' about the cursed brooms you, Draco, are about to be charged with manufacturing for the murder of a series of very liveing Quiddich players."

Lucius arose from his seat, Draco following suit, both of them with looks of contempt and ager awash over them.

"I suppose we'll be seeing you in a more ormal function tomorrow then?" Lucius hissed at Harry and Mad-Eye.

"Oh, you can be certain of it." Harry winked

As Draco and Lucius went to exit the door, it swing open and nearly smacked Draco square in the face: Hermione and Ginny had just stepped in and the look that swelled up over Draco's face was positively murderous.

"I'll see you at home' he whisperd as Lucius placed his hand around Draco's shoulder, pulling him closer as he whisperd for Draco to keep silent.

- - - - -

Hermione and Harry sat in the Ministry lounge, each of them sipping on some tea that had been brought in for them by Ron who took his seat: this was the first time in a very long while all 3 of them had been together, not argueing, and even remotely seeming pleased with eachother however Hermione was obviously dreading the return ride home.

"I still dont see why you maried him Hermione' Ron said as he sipped his tea a little.

"He...he was kind to me, he gave me attention when I needed it' she whisperd. "I really did...do...I...I still love him, a part of him."

"The part that hasnt been useing you, that part right?" Harry said and he immediately regreted the word choice when he saw the look on her face as it sunk in: he was right

"It wasnt too terrible being married to him, for the most part anyway. After a while Lucius warmed up to me a little, and even Narcissa became nice when I spoke to her. It seemed like I had been accepted into a legitimate family that had prestige, reputation..'

"Theyre a pack of PRATS' Ron laughed. "Still, I guess it was like, what'aya call them...love between enemies I suppose? I remember once thime, haha, you socked Malfoy good in the face!"

Hermione grinned a little at that memory.

"Draco, well, he always was pretty weak, I mean, his father practically runs his life and Narcissa looks the otherway most fo the time, and I mean that litterally. I guess we havent been married for the past few months however, after I became a DA and Draco started to get more work in the firm...and how I guess he's after younger girls like Ginny." she said

"Yea, remind me, when we see Malfoy tomorrow in the hearing? I owe him a punch in the face too!" Ron said.

"How is your father by the way Ron' Hermione asked, a little shy about a subject she was just now takeing an intrest in when she hadnt been for a long while.

"Things are...looking good. Lockheat has a spell, the same kind that cured him, that can fix dad's mind and remove the curse supposedly."

"Wait, are we talking about "Thick as a Whale Omelet" Lockheart, our old Deffense Against the Dark Arts instructor who erased his own memory!" Harmione gasped.

"Heh, yea, hes now head of Mungo's since he got his mind ack and helped fix up countless memory loss victims." Ron said as he shook his head. "I dont fully buy whatever he's selling bt if it will fix dad, I'll bite."

"Ron, get your dad out of the NY Mungo's branch, NOW!" hermioen said, getting out of her chair and rushing to dial in a number on her cell phone.

"I dont get it, whats going on?" harry asked.

"Lucius, he and Draco, they BOUGHT Mungo's in a private deal three days ago! Lockheart is now one of their employees and Draco threatened Ginny with your fathers safety in exhange for keeping quiet on Olivers death and the fact she helped him get drunk!"

"Your saying, what, Draco will use my dad as a hostage to de-rail this trial tomorrow?" Ron said, his body starting to shake a little as tea spilled from the cup in his hand.

"Tabitha?' Hermione said over her cell. "This is Hermioen Granger, I need you to do Ron and Harry and I a big favor...I need you to break into Mungo's and kidnap a patient."

- - - - - -

"THE CURSED BROOMS!' Lucius roared in the limousine en route back to the New York residence of Draco Malfoy. "You ACTUALLY had the gaul to use one of my agendas for your own stupid little revenge scheme, which might I ad, you trust to a nobody like McCreedy! YOU"D HAVE BEEN SAFER WITH CRABE AND GOYLE!"

"He seemed like such a non-suspect pawn nobody would have suspected him!" Draco retorted. "Besides, my plan would have worked in that feline bitch and her wizarding goon squad had not tracked McCreedy down for a petty crime! I thought if I managed to succeed in delivering the cursed brooms to the players, it...it would give you and the Firm an edge in the illegal racket of controlling the Quiddich circuit...Oliver Wood was simply a pleasant bonus, thats all!"

"And that wife of yours, I thought you told me she was a 'closed door' in this! Now I see her and that Weasily tramp walking into the Ministry office? It seems like her door has swung wide open and its going to gibe the Ministry of Magic a broad scope with which to investigate me, you pathetic little fool!" he slashed verbally, gripping his cane as he suddenly came down with a deep and terrible cough. Draco leaned in to help support Lucius in the limo but a strong backhand, with the Malfoys serpent head insignia cane on the end of it, smacked into Draco's face and sent him spiraling backwards in the car, smacking his head against the window with a thud.

As Lucius re-gained himself he suddenly saw Draco wiping blood from his face, a smile beaming back from his sons face.

"What the BLOODY hell do you find so amusing? I suppose maybe you've learned your place by now eh, silent and obedient?"

"Haha, no, sorry 'daddy'... am just thinking how amazingly brilliant your going to consider me after I show you what's going to make you head of the Ministry of Magic."

- - - - - -

Arthur Weasily sat in his bed, his mind not fully aware of where he was when he heard Lockheart enter the room; he looked up, his poor eyes barely adjusting to the light from outside. The light burned him, deeply, and in his anger and frustration he growled to Lockheart.

"Do you know who I am Arthur?' Lockheart asked he closed the patients door behind him. Arthur didn't respond, instead, he continued to look off into space as tough he was trying to wake himself up from some horrible dream.

"As always, unresponsive' Lockheart smiled. "And, as always, now I believe the seventy second time...I want you to look over here and simply stare' Lockheart said as from his coat jacket he pulled the small jewel from his desk, its tiny form suddenly glowing with a brilliant orange light that washed over Arthur, and almost instantly, a light that had been dim in the old Mr. Weasily's eyes returned, his face brightened, his skin even looked healthier.

"I...I remember...I remember everything!' he said softly, aghast with joy. "My...my family, i remember them all! My wife, Ginny, Ron, fred, george, Percy, and Bill! I...I recall -'

"Thats very good Arthur, do you remember me?' he smiled as he pulled the glowing gem a little farther from Arthur, the shadows returning to cover Arthur's face.

"Yes...I...I do...I...'

"Do you now remember the other times in the last few month's we've had this discussion?" Lockheart smiled

"Yes' Arthur said, suddenly a look of anger manifesting over him. "All seventy two times!" he said, his face reddening.

"I believe you mean seventy THREE." Lockheart corrected as he shone the brilliant gem in Arthur's face as it began to glow with a magnificent blue light. Slowly, Arthur was forgetting everything again and with every second the magic worked over him, that light in his eyes got dimmer and dimmer. "With this gems ability to erase and restore memory, I'll me one of the most successful wizards once I learn how to modify the memories of those the gem effects! Yes, indeed Arthur, the _Reversium_ charm works wonders. I suppose I should thank you and Dr. Taftington for using me and an subject of the spells original use, but...haha, well, i think you being the test subject of it's newer BETTER use is a good enough reward, dont you?" he said. Arthur merely looked off into space, his eyes cold and distant. "Oh...my, seems now...you dont think at all."

Lockheart took out a small ledger and began to take down some notes as he monologued his own private scheme to his 'captive' audience.

"Yes, indeed, I believe this little bugger has seen enough action now to be able to empower it's ability for me successfully give you whatever memories I decide. The Weasily children, and your son Percy, will owe me massively and you'll swear my treatment was not only what cured you, it will be a medical miracle! I am going to be famous all over again and this time no meddling kids will stop me." he chuckled as he took his wand and tapped it against the gem, sparking with to glow with a bright green light.

"Wonderful" Lockheart grinned as he muttered the words '_Reversi-_'

His phone rang in his jacket. With a silent cuss Lockheart picked up the his phone from within his jacket.

"Hello, who is it?' he snapped..."I...yes, its finsihed...I haven't done anything to him however I was about to...no, no I do NOT think that a wise idea.'

Whatever was said on the other line made Lockheart's blood run cold

"Very well. I'll make sure everything is arranged but...I am weary about this..."

Another bout of silence as the other line's speaker mutters something that causes Lockheart to only squeak his next line.

"Yes. I wont argue your decision."

Lockheart hung up his phone as he looked over to Arthur with a sad look, something akin to pitty...and disgust.

"I am so sorry Arthur, but it seems bigger people than you and I have plans for you."

- - - - -

"Your saying Lockheart is now at the beck and call of Lucius Malfoy and Draco!" Ron stammered as the three wizards made their way to the parking facility across from the Ministry office where Hermione said she had parked her car.

"In a nut-shell? Yes" Hermione stated

"And why didn't you SAY anything earlier, like the moment you found out!' Ron said, flabbergasted while they crossed a busy street to a parking garage.

"Because, simply put, i didn't know thats where your dad was being treated, at least not in New York! Why isn't he in England where he belongs!"

"Because, with Harry and I's temp work here in the States I wanted dad someplace where a level head could keep an eye on him and, well, Fred and George were the ones who insisted in the end. I still dont get why Malfoy would care about my dad in the long run, I mean...big deal, so Harry and I busted his SON, whats that got to do against him. It seems like his dad hates him more than any of us right?"

"True' Hermione said as she pressed her alarm key, triggering the lights of an expensive looking Shelby GT-Cobra to illuminate as the alarm deactivated. "But, remember, Lucius has a thing about his pride and you Harry? Oh, boy, does he ever hate you!"

"It's my looks" Harry smiled, trying to get a jive out of Ron, the boy was obviously stressing out something awful

"No, its that time you almost brought down Tom Riddle and Salazar Inc. I always suspected that it and ML&D were connected but, well, it never added up aside from the fact Salzar, along with a billion other companies, contribute to the firm and their other businesses."

"But...' Harry concluded, ' none of those other corporations have a dark arts using warlock behind their power and I bet when I made Salazar and the Malfoys look bad, it must have hurt Malfoy a lot, in his pride I mean."

"heh, yea, being threatened by, well, a couple of Ministry agents, I can see how that would stab Riddle and Malfoy in their preverbal crotch."

"The DID try to kill me" Harry said as he realized they were all standing around the car.

"WELL!' said Hermione. "Dont just STAND there, get in!'

"It's just such a pretty car, i wouldn't wanna damage it!" Ron said, blushing a little as Hermione clobbered him on the shoulder with her purse. As they all piled in Hermione started speeding up.

"Anyway, yea, Riddle DID try and kill you' Hermione said, "but Ron, your family all lived in England at the time. A bit of stretch to go all the way out there to get somebody you cared about so...'

"Your saying they waited until my dad was in TOWn to try and get rid of him?' He shouted. "AND YOU KNEW!'

"RON!' Harry said, glancing at Hermione. "You didn't know anything about this did you?" he stated, his voice lowering as he adjusted his glasses.

"No' Hermione said/ "Draco and I were confidants with each-other, but I almost never knew what his father or the firm did. It's a terrible thing to say but I am just as bad as Narcissa. I looked the other way about a lot of things...espeically with you two, I mean, after what happened in the Ministry a year ago, and with Cho Chang-' she said before she stopped talking, realizing Harry was looking paler. "I'm sorry, about a lot of this, but I wont sit by and watch Lucius try and get rid of your dad Ron now that you and Harry and a solid lead against him."

"We dont have anything on LUCIUS MALFOY' Ron snapped. "We have evidence against that snaky little prat of yours, DRACO! I'll see to it he gets what he deserves for messing with my family!" he said, tears starting to run down his eyes a little

"You dont understand' Hermione said, like a teacher speaking down to a student, "Draco is a harmless little CHILD, heck, I'm more dangerous than he is! What we have is obviously Draco acting on one of Lucius's plans to get his dads respect, thats what he's always wanted his whole life but nobody ever saw that in him." she said

"Oh, and I suppose you have then? While he was eyeing my little sister?' said Ron

"Ron, Draco is lost without me and between his father, and being coupled with the firm, I am sure he wasn't really making moves on your sister...but by the way, have you seen how she dresses?"

"YOUR DEFENDING HIM! You snake-hearted little witch!" Ron shouted. hermione kept her temper as she continued to drive

"Lets just get your dad out of Mungos so we can focus on pegging something on the MALFOYS, either of them, tomorrow at the hearing." said Harry. As he looked into Hermione's eyes he didnt see the same woman he had seen a year ago in the Ministry court room, after the assassination attempt on his life; she seemed...changed, diffrent. Like she wasnt really Hermione. Deep down, Harry and Ron ahd both seen how much she had changed and it didnt seem 'right'. They were a trio, and without one of them the rest...fell apart. Harry has his suspicions about Hermione's defense of Draco but would have to wait to act on his instinct that was screaming at him something wasn't right

- - - - - -

Lucius's limo pulled up to the front of Mungo's silently, like a obsidian shark of steel and iron.

"If what you say is true' Lucius said, his eyes narrowed but fixed on his son's smileing face. " then I will propose an offer to the board of directors at Salazar Inc that you join with me in the next meeting. I promise nothing other than that, do you understand me? If this little 'scheme' of yours is indeed as profitable, and as pwoerful, as you and Lockheart claim it to be, there is indeed a place for you at ,y side again...despie...your failure with Oliver Wood and this 'Quiddich' fiasco."

"All I want is a chance to prove myself. When I found out that Arthur Weasily was working on trying to cure the _Obliviate_ charm, i set up Lockheart to be one of the test patients. It wasnt long before he was awar enough to get ahold of Weasily, and between us, we worked out a cruse thats had him in Mungo's for three months! He says the spell is ready and all we need do is pick it up and then, if those prats at the Ministry try anything, we can have Arthur Weasily elimonated."

"Draco, you suprise me' Lucius said. "...at such a small minded scheme." Lucius grinned. Draco's face went white as he saw his father take out his wand. "Ron Weasily is only a side note to me and the Board of Salazar. It's POTTER we want."

"I've taken care of that too but...i cant explain it here, not now!' Draco stammerd. "Just BELIEVE me, that will soon be taken care of."

"Son, never wait till tomorrow what you can do today." Lucius said. "When we've picked up this little charm of yorus were going to pay Miss Cho Chang a visit at Harry's little home and USE the devise on her. She is a loose end we must wrap up.

"Thats not what I had planned father!' Draco shouted. Lucius aimed his wand and smiled, a green surge of lightning flowing against the wands end.

"Were playing this game MY way boy. be grateful you had a good enough idea that I can salvage something reputable out of all this...now then, shall we go inside?' Lucius said. All Draco coudl do was nod. For now anyway.

- - - - -

Tabitha, in her feline form, crept along the dark shadows surrounding Mungo's, scanning the surrounding as the Malfoy limousine drove up to the front of the hospital center where all the lights were out;

'This is just perfect, I get called in to do the wife of Draco Malfoy a 'favor' to implicate his father and save Ron Weasily's father; I dont think Ron has ever said so much a eleven words to me since I've seen him which is a shame because he' so cute!' Tabitha thought as she raced across the empty street to hide under the limo; a few moments latter two sets of black shoed feet exited and started towards the front doors; Tabitha stayed close behind as Lucius unlocked the doors and let himself and Draco in - with a kitty close behind...

- - - - -

"I am simply saying Draco should be left alone' Hermione said while Ron was shouting about all he was going to do to him, involving such pleasant words a 'crowbar' and 'knife'.

"Your saying, as Ministry officials, we should avoid the fact he KILLED Oliver Wood simply because can nab his father on a larger count of conspiracy to commit murder...a conspiracy Draco acted on? Hermione, this isn't making any sense, your a DA in the muggle society, you know how both sides of our law works...what are you defending him like this?" Harry asked, almost as if he were probing for something. As Hermione didn't answer, her eye twitched and she sped up, like she was relieving stress.

"You married Draco soon after he and you hooked up...a few weeks after what happened to me and Cho-Chang. You back out of Ministry of Magic work, you avoid me and Ron, and meanwhile Malfoy-LeStrange & Durham becomes hugely infamous in the muggle and wizarding society and I'll BET it had nothing to do with Draco's natural intelligence..." harry said, his face inching closer to Hermione's

"Harry, what are you talking about?' Ron asked from the back seat as the car approached Mungo's. "I only hear you talk like this when your on a case!" he said.

- - - - -

Lockheart sat at his desk, hating the hospital when the lights went out; it always reminded him of his times with no memory, starring at the ceiling of his room, babbling what he knew now to be nonsense. As the door opened and Lucius and Draco entered, Lockheart gave them both a tight lipped smile.

"Draco, if you had bothered to tell me your father was going to become involved in this little agenda of ours, I could certainly have made modifications to the plan to compensate but I ...am not a BIG fan of being halted before I was to enact me plan!"

"And what, exactly would that be hmmm?' Lucius smiled, patronizingly. "Bilk the Weasily's out of what _little_ fortune they have, maybe get a new book made and have a 'get out of jail free' card with Percy in the Ministry? Hah, thats about the worst idea I've ever heard." he said. "Give me this '_Reversium_' charm of yours and I'll make sure you get real power, with real abilities to have what you want."

Lockheart made a bit of a face, but afterwards he sighed.

"What about Arthur Weasily? Right now he's technically a vegetable but I have him locked up in one of the wards in the basement. He's no threat to anybody now, certainly not me, and definitely not you two." Lockheart mused. "Still, he has a purpose that I am told does not involve you both and...' Lockheart grinned, "I'd listen to what I am saying if you know what's good for you."

"What are you smattering about?" Draco asked. Lockheart simply smiled and picked up his telephone at his desk, dialing in a new numbers...speed dial.

"Yes...they're here now, just as you said they would be.' Lockheart said. "No, Arthur Weasily is still alive and I've told the Malfoy's he will remain un-harmed as long as it is in accordance of your wishes...I am sure they will comply."

"Who ARE you talking to' asked Lucius, obviously starting to loose his temper.

"...yes, yes I believe Mr. Malfoy senior wishes to have a word with you." Lockheart said to the phones other end, then with a closed mouth grin, he handed the phone to Lucius.

"Listen you miserable con-artist, i don't know who you thi ---' Lucius started to say before his face went white as a sheet. "NO, um, no sir, I had no idea you had a pre-standing use for Arthur Weasily, but you see, Draco, he ... yes sir, this was all his idea...I just heard about all this a few moments ago I...yes sir." Lucus said as he handed the phone, his arm robotic and stiff, to Draco. "it's .. it's Thomas Riddle, he wants to congratulate you of this little plan of yours!" he sighed

Draco took the phone, a bit of puzzlement on his features.

"H...hello?' he said

'_Greetings Draco_' a soft, charismatic, but chilling voice said over the phone to him. '_I must say, you and Lockheart have come up with a very good agenda, this little spell, Reversium, of yours. But, I have procured Lockhearts assistance and his charm. This matter is now one of my personnel projects. You, will of-course, be rewarded handsomely for this. Well done Draco. Now, please, hand the phone back to Lockheart._" Thomas said.

"Yes..yes sir, thank you sir" Draco whispered as he waved the phone back to Lockheart who listened to Riddle's words on the other line, then hung up the phone.

"Well, boys, it seems that the _Big Boss_ and I are in the power seat here. Really, I am glad you took interest Lucius, but...if I were you? I'd start coming up with a pretty good defense for this Ministry Hearing your going in for tomorrow because, well...Arthur Weasily is new effectively the property of Salazar Incorporated as is THIS' Lockheart said as he flashed the gem from his pocket between his fingers to Lucius.

"Can it really modify memories?" Lucius asked, still tense in the face from a low-level nothing like Lockheart having an edge over him

"Oh defiantly. Dont worry, you, and Draco, and your cat will ALL get a special demonstration when I present it's powers to the Board of Directors on Salazar soon."

"Cat?' Draco asked, perplexed. "What are you talking about?"

As all turned to see the white kitty in the room, the one who had snuck in behind the Malfoy's, there was brilliant burst of light as Tabitha assumed her human form, wand in hand.

"greeting gents!' Tabitha winked '_CONFUSIIM!_' she shouted as from her wand came a brilliant burst of yellow light that exploded like a series of fire-crackers, blinding the three men who started cursing something horrible

'_ACRIO_ came the second spell, as the _Reversium_ gem was pulled from Lockheart's hand and into Tabitha's who quickly took off, but not before casting one last spell from her wand that covered the room in a thick cloud of smoke that set off the fire alarm - and alerted the Ministry of Magic.


End file.
